When this owner of five cats packed her case ahead of a long-haul flight, she never expected to return home with a new furry friend.
But after bonding with an orange cat at her Airbnb in the Philippines, Denise, who doesn’t wish to share her surname, felt like she had no choice but to bring the stray animal home.
Since returning from Southeast Asia, the registered nurse has put together a montage of clips showcasing her new pet’s journey and it has gone viral on TikTok, clocking up 1.4 million views and over 219,000 likes.
“It was love at first sight,” the 30-year-old from Stratford, Connecticut, told Newsweek.
(L-R) Soundless eating food provided by Denise at the Airbnb then a more recent image of the cat peacefully sleeping in her new home.
TikTok/@kyuubighibli
She explained that Soundless made herself known at the start of their two-week vacation in June, despite being unable to meow—hence the new name.
“I bought some cat food the moment my brother told me about her, and fed her morning and night for about five days before we decided we wanted to keep her.
“She wanted to come inside the Airbnb on the second day but we were worried about my 9-month-old niece,” she said, adding: “She was so friendly from the beginning and never scratched us or hissed at us.”
Denise was worried about the cat, estimated to be about one year old, as they were constipated and had a bump on their bottom.
“The vet said it was due to her eating garbage for a long time—that’s why we wanted to care for her.”
Denise and her family paid $65 for two local vet visits and vaccines ahead of their 45-hour trip, which included flight and layover time.
“We paid a company called FurExpressPH $1,476; their services included the processing of documents needed to allow the cat to travel, the hard carrier, and the travel fees (Davao to Manila then Manila to New York),” she told Newsweek.
The July 15 clip shows footage of Soundless in her carrier and being reunited with her new owners. Then, text layered over one of the videos claims Emirates SkyCargo “never refilled the cat’s food and water.”
(L-R) Two screenshots from the viral video showing Denise’s partner looking at the airport screen and the moment they were reunited with Soundless, who travelled for 45 hours in her carrier.
TikTok/@kyuubighibli
Emirates SkyCargo denied these accusations and told Newsweek: “We transport thousands of animals every year with a service specifically designed to provide pets and animals with the highest levels of care and attention. The airline rigorously follows the International Air Transport Association’s Live Animal Regulations (IATA LAR), the worldwide standard that ensures animals are transported safely and humanely by air. Emirates SkyCargo has implemented additional policies that guarantee live animals command utmost priority over any other special cargo.
“Emirates SkyCargo offers full transparency before, during and after transit, with documentation and a detailed timeline so customers can be assured the highest level of care has been followed. Emirates SkyCargo’s records show that the cat was well cared for throughout its journey, including being fed on schedule, and was handed over to the consignee in healthy condition at JFK.”
Denise told Newsweek: “She looked very tired and dehydrated after the flight—we felt so bad for her.”
The clip ends with footage of Soundless meeting Denise’s other pets, some of which aren’t sure about the new arrival.
“She is doing very well and is very friendly with my other cats,” she said. “At first they weren’t sure, but now they all get along.
“I think she is happy with us, she has that subtle smile when she sleeps,” told Denise.
So far, the video, captioned, “Welcome to America!,” has almost 4,000 comments.
“A cat getting American citizenship faster than me,” joked one user while another wrote: “I love that you already had a few kitty’s and still had enough room and heart for another one. I’m glad she’s home safe.”
“This was such a happy ending for this kitty! Thank you for having a wonderful heart! I hope all of your cats love each other and are happy!” said a third commenter.
Do you have funny and adorable videos or pictures of your pet you want to share? Send them to life@newsweek.com with some details about your best friend and they could appear in our Pet of the Week lineup.
